The Keto diet is not for everyone but it’s definitely helped my trichotillomania over the last 18 months.
Keto is about removing “carbs” from your diet. No sugar, no bread, no pasta… nothing like that. It’s also referred to as a “high fat, low carb diet”.
It’s not an easy thing to do AT FIRST, the first week feels like torture on your body, to be honest, but when that’s over, the mental fog clears and energy levels increase.
Why Keto?
Sugar is public enemy #1 when it comes to my trichotillomania.
How do I know?
I kept a tracking journal for a long time where I would literally write down everything in a day that I believe had an impact on my trich.
Food, sleep, mood, people I encountered… I would track all these things in my trich journal and one culprit that always reared its ugly head was SUGAR!
Whenever I remove sugar and cut carbs dramatically, I notice that I’m in a better place mentally and that my urge to pull my hair is almost non-existent.
Keeping a tracking journal for a few weeks is a real eye-opener whether you change your diet or not.
Isn’t Keto Bad for You?
My diet is made of approximately 5% carbs, 20% protein and the rest is fat. Yep, lots of fat.
Keto is a controversial diet because of the high fat intake.
People think I’m over here eating bacon and cheese all day instead of flour and sugar. ✌
While that is partly true, my diet is not all bacon cheeseburgers and heavy cream. I eat a lot of veggies and healthy fats.
Keto is about burning fats. My body has switched fuel sources.
Instead of sugar, it burns the fat and for me, that’s been a major plus in my mental health. My brain and body function so much better this way.
It’s hard to explain it, you almost have to experience it to understand but all I know is this diet has changed my life for the better.
What Do I Eat?
Eating Keto is a lot easier now that ever before because a lot of people have realized the benefits and we’re seeing more options than we used too.
When I started this diet 18 months ago, there wasn’t even close to the options there is now. I suspect in the next few years, we’re going to see an explosion of high fat, low carb foods because lives are changing as a result of this diet.
Pinterest is loaded with recipes, Facebook is full of groups and there’s a lot of companies offering Keto-friendly foods.
I am personally not a great cook so I keep it pretty simple. If you know how to cook and bake, you will probably find this diet to be even easier.
I recently started ordering from Green Chef. They have a Keto menu and they send me the groceries and recipes.
I like the simplicity Green Chef offers and everything is organic.
I think more will get on board with this diet soon because everyday people are seeing the benefits of Keto.
The hardest part of this diet is no bread and baked goods.
I miss eating cakes, cookies and especially donuts but I’ve been able to find some substitutes that get me over the hump.
I’ve learned to use the internet to find ways to keto-fy just about anything I am craving.
Like donuts.. these are my keto donuts. They actually taste like donuts thanks to my swerve sweetener.
I pay a pretty penny for Swerve sugar, but I’m happy with that purchase because it’s the only sweetener that doesn’t have an after taste.
I have discovered “Fat Head” dough and that’s been my go-to for pizza. I like that I can make it myself in a couple minutes.
I recently ordered the KETO BOX, it’s a monthly subscription of Keto treats which is nice because I never know what to buy, this way I can sample the items first. Most Keto snacks are not cheap and I don’t want to buy a whole box of something until I know if I like it.
The Keto box is a nice way to try things without the commitment. It’s pretty exciting each month to get some new treats to try.
When it comes to eating, I’ve found that I just make due each day.
I do like an evening drink here and there and I’ve learned to forgo the beer and get a spiked seltzer instead.
There are a few different ones now, White Claw and Truly both have them in the refrigerated alcohol section, only 2 carbs, gluten-free and 100 calories.
This diet makes me feel good and I want to stay in this state of mind and health so I stick with it and find ways to “keto” my foods.
My body uses fat differently than it did the carbs and my appetite has been reduced and even when I’m hungry, I’m not “hangry” anymore.
Keto Removes Sugar & Gluten From My Diet
Sugar is one of my greatest trich enemies. I’ve tracked myself in a journal for weeks and I know this!
People with trichotillomania may want to remove sugar and see how they feel in a couple weeks? That’s what I did.
The first week is hard, very hard, but after that, it does get easier and I think we owe it to ourselves to at least see if it helps.
Start Tracking Your Triggers
Start a trichotillomania tracking journal.
Find out what is making trich worse, we all have triggers and some lifestyle changes like diet, sleep and supplements might help.
Many want a quick fix, a pill or something to make it all go away, but I’ve seen great improvements with this Keto diet and supplements.
A lot of our overall health is in our gut so it makes sense that diet changes help people with trichotillomania.
Sugar alone is breeding grounds for disease, it’s addictive AF and found in almost everything on store shelves.
Wheat is another common food that is found is everything, a lot of people see improvements removing gluten from their diet.
Experiment with these foods, remove them for awhile, see what happens with your trich.
Even if you don’t do keto like I do, there may be foods like sugar and gluten making trichotillomania worse and it’s worth finding out.
